How dry I am. Dry mouth adds to senior oral health woes

There’s a perception that drooling becomes more common in your later years. From a dentist’s point of view, that’s actually a good thing as excessive saliva washes away food particles and bacteria and neutralizes acids that can lead to increased plaque accumulation, which causes cavities and gum disease. Truth be told, a much greater issue for seniors is dry mouth and how that relates to the oral health.

For most seniors, dry mouth is caused by medications for treatment of any number of issues. Those can include anti-anxiety agents, antidepressants, antihistamines, antipsychotics, diuretics, Parkinson’s Disease medications and urinary incontinence agents.

Another real issue with dry mouth is it makes the teeth less absorptive to minerals like calcium and fluoride that strengthen teeth. Consequently, you have weaker teeth that are more vulnerable to plaque and that leads to cavities and worse.

There are many things patients can do to alleviate dry mouth. That can include drinking more water (fluoridated tap water is the best), using over-the-counter saliva substitutes or moisturizer, chewing sugarless gum or sucking on sugarless mints. Seniors can also make some external adjustments to their living environment, like using a humidifier at night while they sleep.

When it comes to dry mouth, what you don’t do is probably more important. Specifically, you want to avoid tobacco products, sugary drinks, caffeine and alcohol (that includes mouthwashes and rinses with alcohol) and spicy and salty foods.

Of course, it’s always a concern with more elderly patients that they will stop taking a medication if it makes them feel worse. If you feel like you have dry mouth, it’s critical to ask your primary care doctor about it so that perhaps they can alter the medication. Of course, the key ingredient to dental health is brushing and flossing and regular checkups with your dentist. 

For more information, give us a call 781-335-0604 to schedule a consultation.